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DEATH UNDER ARREST.
A FBACTURED SKULL.
Mr. C. Hlbble, the district coroner,
held an inquest at the Newcastle Court
house yesterday into the death of a man
who died in the Newcastle -I-sspital on
Sunday last after being locked up on a
charge oat drunkenness. Senior-constable
Hilder represented the police.
Dr. Church, resident medical officer,
Newcastle Hospital, said the deceased
was admitted to the institution at 6.20 on
the morning of Sunday last. He was In
a comatose condition, and remained in
that state till midday the same day.
There was a small scalp wound over the
right.temple, and in his (the doctor's)
opinion, the man had a fracture of the
base of the skull.
Dr. Harris, Government Mfedical Officer,
said he made a post-mortem examination
of. the body. There was blood issuing
from the right car, and a scalp wound of
a cqntused character above and behind
the rioht ear. The wound was horizon
tal, and about lin long. There were
no other external marks of violence. On
refecting the scalp, the skull was found
to be fractured, beginning at the exter
nal wound and extending down to the
base. There was also a large clst of
blood. The. clot was produced by rup
ture of a small artery. The brain was
caaompressed, but otherwise healthy. The
internal organs were healthy. The stom
ach contained a quantity of fluid, which
smelt strongly of beer. In his opinion
death was due to a fracture of the skull
and rupture of a small artery, thereby
clowly commpressing the brain. To the
Coroner: The wound could have been
caused by the man having a
fall. The fracture was caused
hby the wound. The artery bled slowly,
pushing up the memrbrane 6[ the skull
and compressinlg the brain. To the
police: Tle result of the deceased's in
Juries would be that he would gradually
become comatose. It would not be pos
sible for a constable to see that the de
ceased was suffering from hemorrhage.
James Devlln, a fireman on board the
steamship IMakura. said he had seen the
body at the morgue, and identified it as
that of Jack Kenny. He first met Kenny
about a fortnight hgo, when he obtained
a job on the Iakura as trimmer. , Ie
last saw Kenny in Perkln-street about
4.30 p.m. last Seturday. Deceased wan
then quite sober. He said he had a bro
ther in New York city, and that he had
relatives in Ireland. He also said that
he was in the telephono department at
Vancouver, and had come to Australia
shbout foer months ago in the steamer
.'larama.
Captain Phillips, master of the stenamer
Makura. said hlie shipped a man named
John IKenny as a trimmer In Sydney last
Friday night. On Monday morning 1ths
chief engineer reporte?d to him that the
manl was missing, and he had not been
seen since.
VWill!am Peterson, chief engineer of. tlhe
steamer Makura, said he had seen a body
at thie morgue, and identified it us that
of Kenny. He last saw him alive on the
vessel list Saturday morning. At one
o'locek he woeld be free to go ashnre.
Constable Harding said about 11.15 p.m.
last Saturday he was on duty in Kelghtley
street, Newcastle, where he saw a man
sitting on the Ikerbstone. Another mall
was speallng to him. and witness askled
what was the trouble. Deceased stood
up, and after proceeding a short distance
he fell down. Witness then lockedlcl the
man up on a chlarge of drunkenness, but
while engaged doing so deceased strg
oercd and strucl the ground heavily with
his head. Witness noticed that he hadld
a' small wound over the right ear, which
was bloeeding freely. There was no wound
on the man's head prior to the fall. in
his olninin the fall enicaused the wound.
A cab was hailed. and deceased taken to
the lockun. When asked his nanme de
ceased mnumbled something, whlch witness
could not understand. At 2.20 a.m. on
Sunday he saw that deceased was slepins.,
apparently all'right. To the police : De
ceased walked from the cab to the lock
uip. To the Coroner : It was not unusual
for a constable to look in the cells during
the nlght.
George Greeory, cab driver, said he
drove a drunelcn mean to the polce stl
tion last Saturday nfght. Constable HarId
ing assisted the deceased out of tile cab.
To the polico : The man walked Into tllhe
loclup; he was not in a state of colhlapse.
Sceuior-constnble Hllder said lhat about
11.35 D.m. last Saturday deceased was
brought to the !ockup by Constable Hard
ilg. The man appeared to be in a drun.
ken stupor. He was charged with drun
keinness. The constable said the man had
had a fall, whtcih' seemed to daze him.
There was a wmound over the man's ear,
and witness washed it. Deceased was
placed in a cell by himself. His pulse
was normal, and 'he was sensible to touch.
Witness visited the deceased several
times. At one a.m. the man started to
groan, bult later on be eeoomed to breathe
naturally. At 2 a.m. Sergeant IM'Kellar
had a look at the man. At 3 a.m., 4
a.m., and before 5 o'clock witness again
saw the deceased. At 5.30 a.m. deceased
stiarted to breathe heavily and witness,
reanllisng that thlere was something wrong
with hlilm, had him conveyed to the hos
planl.
Sergeant 1'Kellar said about 1.40 a.m.
on Sunday he scaw the deceased in a cell
at thile police station, lying on his back.
He was breathing freely, and had the
appearance of a mlan In a drunkein sleep.
\ Itness examnled tihe wound on tihe man's
head. There was no blood cominlg from
it,'hut there was a quantity on the isan's
shirt. At 3 a.m, deceasce appeared to ie
breathing freely. It was at Senlor-e.qon
stable Hilder's request that hlie went to
look at the man, as a matter of observa
tion.
l.eon Benwell, an A.B. on board the
Makurna, said he had known the deceased
aihnut a fortnslght. HeI last saw him
alive about 10.30 last Saturday night,' op
poslto the Rawson Cafe, in Hunter-street.
At this time the man was about 'half
drutnk. Deceased was toncue-tled, and it
was ditficult to undertand what hlie said.
This wIn more pronounced when he was
drunk.
The coroner found that the doccased
died in the Newcastle Hospital from hho
effects of a fractured skulI. which he
rectleod through falling whilst in a otate
of Intoxlcatlon. Fronm the evidence before
the court he had no reaso:n to doubt that
the decnsed reclvied proper and humano
treatment at the hands of the police.
Tho funeral of ith' decoased will take
place this afternoon.
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